Door latch mechanism



June 7, 1949.

D. c. SMITH 2,472,730

noon LATCH MECHANISM Filed Nov. 26, 1947 "HI 29 v INVENTOR. DAVID E. SMITH .ATTIZ I Ulwm Patented June 7, 1949 DOOR LATCH MECHANISM David C. Smith, Toledo, Ohio, assignor of thirty per cent to E. W. Sauers, thirty per cent to A. E. Giesey, both of Cleveland, Ohio, and twenty per cent to Leroy I. Oblinger, Toledo, Ohio Application November 2.6, 1947, Serial No. 788,138

6 Claims.

This invention relates to door latching mechanisms but more particularly to doors which do not require key locks or the like, such, for example, as closet doors, and an object is to produce a new and improved door latching mechanism which has a relatively small number of parts thereby reducing the cost of manufacture and assembly, is easy to assemble, is sturdy in construction, is simple to install in a door, and has the novel features of construction, assembly and operation hereinafter described.

Other objects and advantages of the invention Will hereinafter appear, but for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the door latch mounted in a door and showing in section the door frame and keeper for the bolt nose;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view substantially on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional View on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View on the line 44 of Figure 1 showing the snap rings for operatively connecting the knob sleeve to the actuating tube;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the latch bolt retractor, actuator and actuating tube showing the operative relationship of these parts; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the escutcheon associated with one of the knob assemblies.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a door I0 hingedly mounted in the usual manner to a door frame one edge of which is formed with a bolt-receiving recess or socket |2 over which is mounted a metal plate l3 having the usual inclined or cam surface and apertured to register with the mouth of the recess |2 thereby to provide the keeper. The door in this instance is indicated as being wooden and extending from the free edge of the door is a hole l4 into which is pressed a metal cup Hi to receive the latch bolt. The latch bolt has a bolt head or nose l6 formed with an inclined surface l'l to engage the corresponding surface on the keeper plate |3 in closing of the door. The rear end portion of the bolt nose is enlarged at I8 slidably to fit within the cup I5. At the edge of the door is a plate |9 which is apertured for slidably receiving the bolt nose, the shoulder provided by the enlarged end I8 abutting against the inside face of the plate l9. Screws 20 secure the plate to the edge of the door. A helical coil spring 2| bears at one end against the enlarged end portion N3 of the bolt nose and at the other end against the bottom of the cup l5. Disposed concentrically of the spring 2| and suitably secured, as by screwthreaded engagement, at its forward end to the bolt nose is a rod 22, the inner end extending through an aperture 23 in the bottom of the cup |5.

Adjacent the outer end of the bolt rod 22 is an annular groove 24 into which fits the notched portion 25 of a flanged end portion 26 of a bolt retractor 21. The bolt retractor 2! is a sheet metal part having a body portion formed with an elongate slot 28 open at the outer end and providing a pair of legs 29. Integral with the inner ends of the legs 29 are wings 30 respectively which extend at right angles to the legs 29 in a direction opposite to that of the flanged end 26. To afford increased bearing surface, the wings 30 project laterally beyond the side edges of the legs 29.

The wings 38 are engageable by a pair of lugs 3| respectively which are integral with and project at right angles from arms 32 integral with a cup body 33. This part is also made of a metal stamping and constitutes the actuator so that upon rotation thereof in one direction or the other, one of the lugs 3| bearing against its respective wing 30 will impart retracting movement to the bolt nose It against the tension of the coil spring 2| to enable opening of the door. Manifestly the retractor 21 may move relatively to the actuator as, for example, when the door is slammed to closed position. The arms 32 of the actuator are each formed with slots 34 to receive ears 35 which are integral with an elongate actuating tube 36. After the ears 35 are unseated into the respective slots 34, they are bent outwardly as indicated on Figure 2 against the under side of the arms 35 thereby to provide a simple and inexpensive connection between these parts. The cup body 33 of the actuator fits nicely into the inside of the tube 36 thereby to militate against looseness or rattles between parts. The actuating tube 36 rotates within a sleeve 31 which is integral with a plate 38 which in turn is secured by screws 39 to a cupshaped housing 40.

The housing 40 fits snugly within an opening which extends through the door and which in turn connects to the hole M which receives the bolt assembly. As shown, the housing has an outturned flange 4| at its free edge so that in the assembly, the housing is inserted from one side of the door until the flange 4| abuts against the adjacent side of the door. The housing has a lateral aperture 42 which registers with the hole M in the one-piece structure. The sleeve 44 iswsecured to on the job without requiring the use of special the actuating tube 36 for rotation therewith and for this purpose, apertures areformed -in the sleeve 44 and tube 36 and arranged-to register with each other. pair of semi-circular snap rings '46 having inturned ends 41 to extend respectively through the registering apertures. the rings 45 in place, the parts are secured together in an extremely simple and inexpensive manner. Not only :do the snap rings 46 1s'ecure theseparts together but also 'hold an escutcheon -48 in p'ositionagainst the adjacent face of the -doorl0 to cover the plate 38 and adjacent parts.

Itvwill be noted that the actuating tube 36 projects well inside 'of the knob '45 and that the knob 45 has an aperture which is closedby a cap or plug 46. This is for the purpose of enabling the parts-of this latch to interchange with other :latch'mechanism carrying push 'button controls and the like, such, for example, as shown in the co-ipending application-of DavidC. Smith and LeroylOblin-ger, Serial No. 656,920. I

For retracting the door latch from the other side-of the door, a spindle-49 extends through the door-and is-provided at its end portion with a :head 50- which is square in cross section 'to 'fit slidably into a square 'h01e'5l formed in the bottonr'of thecup 33 of the latch bolt actua'ton It will be clear that rotation of the spindle '49 in Onadirection. or the other will effect withdrawal or retraction-f the latch bolt through the connectionsabove described. The spindle49 extends freelythrough 'the slot 28- in the retractor plate 27. Theopposite end of the 'spindle 49. is spaced away from the-adjacent face of the door and-is fixed tea cup member'52. In this instance, the end-of the spindle is reduced, extended through an aperture in the bottom ofthe cup 52 and upset to e'ffecta rigid connection. 'The'en'ds 'of-whecupare fianged outwardly against the :inner portion f a bearing sleeve '53; the bearing sleeve-53being integral with a plate- 54'..- Thus it be apparent that the actuatingcup 522rotates within the sleeve 53 which provides a support therefor.-.

The -.cup52 1 slightly above the outer end loft th'e 'sleeve 53 is securedtoia knob sleeve-'55with which aknob 56iis rigid. Thesleeve -55and cup 152f'are connected bysemi-circular .snap ringsifi'l similar to-the-snap rings 46 abovedescribedl Thesnap rings 5'! are 'coverediby "an escutcheon,i58:.;which is similar to the-escutcheon 48' .wexcept 'the escutcheon 58' is formed with a pairofears 59 at theinner end, these :ears being bent inwardly to engage the under side of the flange 4|. on the housing 40. The .fiange 4| is spot welded to the bearing 'plate 54. The knob 56 similarly has a centralaopening. .which is closed by a .wplugngfifl similar to: the .plug 46.

From the cabove description, it will :be,,maniiest-thatl have produced an exceedingly simple t h mechanism w i .in the mammcam :be pnodlrced ,-from 3 sheet. metal z stampings 3 and; 1 the vparts cambe; readilyrandconvenientlxassembled Embracing the sleeve 44 is a 3 Manifestly by snapping tools. The number of parts has been substantially reduced so that the entire assembly can be manufactured inexpensively in large scale production.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details" of construction, arrangement and operation may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Door latch mechanism having a springtensioned latchbolt comprising a pair of knob assemblies adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of the door, one knob assembly including an oscillatable tube, an actuator having a pair of actuating lugs,- a connection between said actuator and tubeso that oscillating movements of the latter are transmitted to the former, a retractor shiftable at right angles to the axis of said tube and having parts engageable respectively by said lugs for effecting shifting movement thereof, said .retractor being adapted "operatively tov engage the latch'bolt, the :other knob-assembly having an oscillatable tubular member, a spindle fixed at one end-to and concentric with said tubular member, and a driver on theopposite end of said spindle and coupled to said actuator so thatoscillation of said spindle imparts. corresponding movement to said actuator, said driver being separable from said actuatcr by longitudinal shifting movement.

'2. Door latch mechanism as claimed'in claim v1, in which the driver is polygonal in cross section :a'nd'slidab'ly engages by axial movement aportion of the actuator, said actuator portion being shaped to receive saiddriver whereby turning of the :latter imparts corresponding movement to the actuatorh 3. Door latch mechanism as claimed in claim 2, comprising an'actuator engaging portion on the driver polygonal in crosssection, and the actuator having a polygonal opening into which said engaging portion fits. v la-Door lat-ch mechanism-having a springtensioned latch bolt-comprising a pair of knob asscmblies adapted 'tcr be disposed on "opposite sides of the door, one knob assembly including an oscillatable tubeya knob having a sleeve fitting (over .sa-id tube, :said 'sleeve and tube "having registeringapertures, snap rings embracing-said sleeve and having inturned ends extending into said registering apertures, an actuator having a pair of actuating lugs, a connection-between said actuator and tube so that oscillating movements of thealatter are transmitted to the former, a retractor shiftable at right angles to the axis -of saidtube and having parts engageable respectivelytby said lugs for effecting shiftingmovement thereof, said retractor. being. adapted operatively :to: engage the latch :bolt, the iother knob .assembly having :an oscillatable tubular member,- a spindle fixed .at one end to and concentric with :said tubular member,- .andza :driver on :the opposite end :o'fsaid spindle. and :coupled to-said actuatorso, that oscillation o'f ,saidspindle imparts corresponding movement .to :saidactuator,, said ;driver being :separable; from .said actuator ;by longitudinal shifting movement.

5. Doordatch :mechanismhaving 'a spring,- tensioned :latch ibolt. comprising a .pair. of knob assemblies adapted tube-disposed on opposite sidespf: the doorfonezknob assembly-including an oscillatable tube, ,an actuator: having a :pair of actuating lugs, a connectiontbetween saiduactuator and tube so that oscillating movements of the latter are transmitted to the former, a retractor shiftable at right angles to the axis of said tube and having parts engageable respectively by said lugs for effecting shifting movement thereof, said retractor being adapted operatively to engage the latch bolt, the other knob assembly having an oscillatable tubular member, a bearing sleeve supporting said tubular member and having base portion, a housing adapted to fit into an opening extending through the door and having an outturned edge portion abutting said base portion, an escutcheon cover ing said bearing sleeve and base portion, ears on an end of said escutcheon bent over and engaging the inner side of said outturned edge, a spindle fixed at one end to and. concentric with said tubular member, said spindle extending through said housing, and a driver on the opposite end of said spindle and coupled to said actuator so that oscillation of said spindle imparts corresponding movement to said actuator, said driver being separable from said actuator by longitudinal shifting movement.

6. Door latch mechanism having a springtensioned latch bolt, comprising a handle knob assembly having a sleeve, an actuating tube within said sleeve, a connection between said tube and sleeve causing same to turn together, a stationary bearing element supporting said tube, an actuator having a cup-shaped body fitting within said actuating tube and provided with integral actuating lugs, a retractor plate having wings engageable respectively by said lugs, means providing a connection between said retractor and the latch bolt, a spindle having an end portion polygonal in cross section, said cup-shaped body of the actuator having a polygonal hole to receive said spindle end portion, and another handle knob assembly fixed to the opposite end of said spindle so that turning of the knob imparts turning movement to the actuator.

DAVID C. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,659,589 Broomhall Feb. 21, 1928 2,242,508 Ching May 20, 1941 

